Busch Gardens Williamsburg testing "Soarin'-type" ride this weekend...

[fractal]

After Paris the film took you to a German Castle ( it's a famous one deep in the mountainous forest, that I've seen before ). Then over a spanning bridge. Pretty cool. Next was the Swiss Alps which I liked but it seemed like the film got a bit fuzzy.

Next stop was an Italian city on the rocky Mediteranean coast. I really enjoyed this part - you rose up the side of a cliff to get a glimpse of the city then as you continued to rise a beautiful view of the sea appears behind the city as you realize it is a top a high, but rocky pennisula. Very cool. After that, in a flash you are in Rome approaching the Collesium and it really gives you a quick but impressive birds-eye view of the stadium from above!

Then you are right back in the Scottish/Irish countryside. I am reminded of a close up of a famous castle there but now can't remember if it was at the beginning or end of the film. You voyage ends at the castle and the imaginary hangar located at the bottom of it.

 

[fractal]

Final thoughts/observations

The music was sweeping and somewhat emotional but clearly a few notches below the Soarin anthem. An example of where Disney goes the extra mile in the overall sensation of a "ride". You can absolutely tell the EITA music was done on a much smaller budget. Effective, yes, but not the music that can put a lump in this 225 pound ex football player's throat like the Soaring theme can.

Ride the front row if you can - much more enjoyable. I rode both the front and back and the kids and I agreed that the front was better. Hint - to get in the front row, as the doors swing open after the pre-boarding travel agent schpeel - go to the first row of lights to you left and proceed down that row of lights with your group. Most people will move into the room - you want to go immediately left as you enter the room. The deeper you go into the room the further the row from the screen.

As a whole, the ride experience was good. After both times, the riders gave a nice applause. For me, again, I couldn't help but compare it to Soarin'. The fact that you sat down with feet on the floor vs. the feeling of feet dangling was a dissapointment. The overall theming and all the details of the pre-boarding and the cast members and the music was a few levels below Disney standard. The shame is that BG forced me to make those comparsions because of the look and marketing of the ride.

EITA is a good ride in a great park. It's fun and gives you some stunning views of Europe. There were some dissapointments ( Paris ) and some of the film movements but have to give it a solid B+. If you can get over the Soarin' and Disney comparisons you will enjoy it more. I couldn't but still liked it enough to ride twice.

 

[Disneyson 1]

Though I love the attempt, I think it would have been much more appropriate to have ride remain Corkscrew Hill, as that was much better thematically.